Breaking news

Dam breaks on kauai. Seven people missing.

http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=4630958

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar.../br/br05p.html

That's horrible news. I wonder what happened; both accounts are sketchy and the media asked for readers' photos in one of them.

Another article:

http://starbulletin.com/breaking/breaking.php?id=4279

I just read this (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11826667/) and thought immediately of our Kaua`i resident- auntiemaria.

I hope she checks in soon to let us know that she's okay.

Aloha one and all...just got off the phone with Auntie M about an hour ago.
I called her as soon as I heard it on the radio.

She is doing fine. They are on high but not dry ground in P'ville. They still have power but Kuhio Hwy being washed has them cut off.

They are fortunate to have some power and are watching reruns of The Apprentice.

Still waiting to hear from visormom and some of my Kauai ohana who live in that area. [-o<[-o<[-o<

Good news about AM. Thanks Kal.

I talked to my daughter in Kapaa a while ago. Fortunately, her husband is not working on the north shore today.

Thanks for the update Kal. Glad auntiem is okay. I read a few of visormom's posts before she left. I hope she's okay too.

Just saw this on the news and came here to express my concerns. My heart goes out to those on Kauai at this time.

Most importantly AuntieMaria is ok!.

We leave next week for Kauai and are
staying in Princeville, just hope it's
accesible

Thanks for the update, Kal. It's kinda reassuring.
It's been raining steadily since the day before we left the island, on Feb. 21.
I saw the forecasts the week that visormom was leaving, and they didn't look great but I didn't mention them to her. Didn't want to discourage her, and we learned that the forecasts were rarely accurate. Unfortunately, systems can hang in there for weeks and nothing changes till the trade winds pick up again.
Right now, it looks as if it will improve on Friday or Saturday.

This is horrible. I read in one article that there is mud as wide as a four-lane highway across the road, so who knows how soon it will be cleared. While I'm sure they will be able to make do somewhat with boats and helicopters, having part of the island cut off from the main city, airport, etc. can't be good.

My heart goes out to those affected by the disaster. I just returned from a Kaua'i vacation at the end of last week (stayed in Princeville) and had seen what the torrential rains had been like firsthand. We were lucky enough to catch some sun for part of our week, but it appeared to us to be a significant rainy season this year, with flooding on the north part of Oahu the day I was there as well.

Hi Kal. According to the SF Chron there is concern that the Morita Dam could break also. What a tragedy this is. Mother Nature has caused havoc in so many places around the world.

Kauai's local news for today:

http://www.kauaiworld.com/

I am in Kauai now and have been since last Thursday. We've had rain everyday.

They did find one mudslide victim and the news reported him as being found about 1 mile offshore. There are still seven missing.

There was a 100 yard debris field littering Kuhio Highway north of Anahola. It was supposed to reopen this afternoon.

There is concern that other reservoirs may overflow as well. As of this am one area had reported almost 6.5 inches of rain since yesterday. Lihue had over 4 inches.

I drove down to Hanapepe earlier today and there was alot of mud over the roads and reports that mud had even flowed into area businesses.

There are shelters open for those on the North end of the island. I heard earlier that a gas truck had made it thru.

Aloha for now from wet Kauai,

Jenny

Go luck, Jenny. I hope you enjoy your trip even though it is very wet. Remember, a few Mai Tais will make any day go better.
8-)

Here's the link to the chronicle bit on sfgate.
Hope all our friends and ohana there stay safe.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...a145447S75.DTL

The highway up here on the north shore re-opened this afternoon -- one-lane only.

First traffic allowed was incoming supply vehicles -- gasoline (Princeville had only diesel remaining; Kilauea had only Super), food (Foodland and Big Save were nearly bare), FedEx, UPS, and US Mail (our last mail service was Monday), and phone repair personnel.

Heavy rain has been falling in the Lihu`e area all day; only light sprinkles in Princeville/Hanalei -- we've even had some sun. But the entire island chain is under a flash flood warning (flooding possible, but not imminent), because locally heavy rainfall is predicted through Friday.

Our prayers are with the family, friends and loved ones of the 7 who are missing.

To stay updated on the Kaua`i flood, you can read any of our local newspapers:
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com
http://www.starbulletin.com
http://www.kauaiworld.com

auntie!

Glad to hear you are able to get some much needed supplies up there.

It is so sad to hear about those that are missing. Apparently two were to be married this Saturday.

Thanks for checking in!